Campaigners make their NHS case at Dewsbury Hospital

Campaigners braved rain and sleet to make their voice heard as part of a National Day of Protest outside Dewsbury Hospital last Saturday.

They explained the rally was to highlight a funding crisis in the NHS and believed the Government’s political choice to implement austerity measures has impacted on the service.

A spokeswoman said: “We wanted to draw attention to the impact cuts are having with particular focus on the downgrading of our own hospital and how this, with the proposed removal of A&E facilities at Huddersfield, will leave Kirklees without sufficient provision and will undoubtedly end in tragedy. It was also a chance for people to show their support for their local hospital and staff who work so hard under incredibly difficult conditions.”

Campaigners will be holding another rally on March 4 and you can read more on their Save Our Dewsbury Hospital page on Facebook.

Dewsbury MP Paula Sheriff, Shadow Minister for Mental Health and Social Care, and Batley and Spen MP Tracy Brabin plus some Kirklees councillors including leader David Sheard came along to show their support. Paula Sherrif said: “The winter crisis in our NHS has seen our local services stretched to the limits. Reports from patients and staff of cancelled operations and long waits are shocking.”

A Department of Health and Social Care spokesperson said: “We know the NHS is extremely busy, which is why the government supported it this winter with an additional £437m of funding, and why it was given top priority in the recent Budget with an extra £2.8bn allocated over the next two years.”

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